I Return From Hell

Chapter 32: Chapter 30: Increased Suspicion, Tallying the Harvest

The vast city had grown more clamorous and restless. The smog made travel difficult, delaying countless matters and even causing several car accidents.

”If a Mist Event happens, that would be very bad.”

Zhao Guohui stood before his office window, his brow furrowed as he gazed out at the world, which looked like something from a fairytale.

’It’s time to report this to the higher-ups and get them to do something about the environment.’

’Otherwise, in a smog this thick, we’d never be able to detect a Mist Event breaking out, not even in areas with surveillance, let alone areas without.’

”Group Leader, with the smog this bad, is there any point in continuing to install cameras in areas without surveillance?”

A team member at his side asked helplessly, ”Everyone’s getting really frustrated.”

”Continue.”

Zhao Guohui said, ”The smog won’t be here every day, nor will it last forever.”

His phone rang.

Zhao Guohui glanced at the caller ID. His tightly knitted brow twitched slightly, and he waved his hand.

The team member took his leave.

”Do you have a lead on Zhou Fan?”

Zhao Guohui asked as he answered.

He and Wang Quanzhi had a one-way line of communication, mainly to ensure Wang Quanzhi’s safety, which was why he needed to speak with him in private.

He had developed this inside source because the man was well-connected, possessed a strong sense of justice, and happened to know both Li Xiang and Zhou Fan. Plus, they were genuinely short-staffed at the moment.

”He’s clean.”

Wang Quanzhi briefly summarized his investigation, then asked, ”Mr. Zhao, you remember Xia Yu, right?”

”You know her?”

Zhao Guohui’s brow furrowed.

”Don’t know her.”

Wang Quanzhi proactively explained, ”I was drinking with Zhou Fan last night. He said he noticed Xia Yu while giving his statement and was completely captivated by her beauty. He even took a picture of her and was planning to pursue her, but she was too cold and didn’t give him a chance...”

”I don’t want to hear about his love life.” Zhao Guohui’s frown deepened. ”Cut the crap and get to the point.”

Wang Quanzhi said excitedly, ”The point is, Zhou Fan showed me the picture he took. I have to say, that Xia Yu girl is a real looker. Especially those long legs of hers—they’re unforgettable.”

Hearing this, Zhao Guohui felt a headache coming on.

”Ahem.”

Wang Quanzhi realized he’d gotten sidetracked and quickly steered the conversation back. ”Right... While I was at the restaurant probing Li Xiang, I ran into Xia Yu.”

’Oh?’

Zhao Guohui was suddenly interested. ”Tell me everything,” he said hurriedly.

「A few minutes later.」

After listening to Wang Quanzhi’s full account, Zhao Guohui, a veteran criminal investigator, keenly sensed that things were a bit too coincidental. Yet, after careful consideration, he couldn’t find any flaws in the story.

’Am I overthinking this?’

”Mr. Zhao, should I go and test her?”

Wang Quanzhi’s voice came through again. ”I have my ways with women, you know. And I promise I won’t break any rules. You can rest assured on that point.”

Zhao Guohui paused for a moment, just about to speak.

”KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.”

A series of urgent knocks sounded at the door.

”I’ll call you back.”

Zhao Guohui hung up and said, ”Come in.”

The door opened.

”Mr. Zhao, this is bad!”

A team member burst in, his expression urgent. ”The third Mist Event has broken out! Chen Xiao and Qian Yihao from the Special Incident Investigation Team are already on their way.”

’What?’

’Speak of the devil.’

’This damn weather is messing everything up!’

Zhao Guohui was about to rush out when a thought struck him. He asked, ”Is the Mist Event over?”

”It’s over. It was already over by the time it was discovered. The exact end time is unknown. If a massive fire hadn’t broken out and attracted the attention of nearby residents, we probably wouldn’t have noticed anything for a while. The fire is under control now, and our comrades from the fire department have helped secure the scene.”

”Another big fire?”

Zhao Guohui instantly recalled the fires from the first two Mist Events, and a possibility flashed through his mind: ’If the same person was involved in the first two Mist Events and survived... ’

’Then...’

’Could that person also be involved in this third Mist Event?’

With that thought, he issued a direct order, ”Little Song, go to Xia Yu’s place. See if she’s there. Don’t say anything more than necessary.”

”Huh?”

”Go. Now.”

Zhao Guohui had no time to explain, his tone forceful.

”Yes, sir.”

Without another word, Little Song left to carry out the order.

These days, Mr. Zhao’s status was extremely high. Rumor had it he was due for a promotion soon, so no one dared to cross him.

「Over half an hour later.」

Little Song arrived at Xia Yu’s home and knocked for a long time with no response. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he saw a beautiful young woman standing behind him, seemingly out of nowhere. She was wrapped in a pure white down jacket and carrying a bag of green vegetables and one kilogram of pork.

Who else could it be but Xia Yu?

”Y-You’re back?”

Little Song jumped, his words stumbling out.

Xia Yu looked at the police uniform he was wearing, and her elegant brows knitted together. ”Why are you people here again? Didn’t I already give you a statement?”

”Ahem.”

Little Song cleared his throat and made up an excuse on the spot. ”We have a few more questions we’d like to ask you.”

”I don’t have time.” Xia Yu looked annoyed, then went inside and shut the door.

”Uh...”

Little Song rubbed his nose and had no choice but to leave.

The impatient expression vanished from Xia Yu’s face. Her mouth fell slightly open as she gasped for breath, and the sweat she had just wiped away began to bead on her skin again.

’So they do suspect me. They even sent someone to check if I was home.’

She took the vegetables and pork—which she had bought at the market that morning and temporarily stored at Sister Wang’s stall—and put them in the kitchen.

She strode back to her room, popped the SIM card out of her phone, and replaced it with a new, pre-activated one from her nightstand before dialing a number.

”Yu, I’ve got the cash and gold bars from Manager Ma. It’s so much money! Manager Ma wasn’t lying. We’re... rich.”

”Good. Go to the address Brother Li gave you immediately, then do exactly as I told you. Be quick. It won’t be long before the police lock onto your position.”

”Yu, this is an era of peace. With our country’s efficiency, I’m afraid I won’t be able to hide for long before they find me. You have to help me.”

”Don’t worry.”

”What about the loan sharks? My payment is due tomorrow.”

”You’re about to be a wanted man, and you’re worried about loan sharks?”

”Uh...”

The call ended.

Xia Yu quickly ran through her arrangements in her mind. After confirming there were no oversights, she breathed a sigh of relief and began to take stock of her gains:

First, her physical fitness had reached the standard of a Second-level Athlete.

Second, she had obtained the Blood Butterfly, and its quality exceeded her expectations.

Third, two Crystal Cores. One she acquired herself, and the other was from Xie Shaokun.

Fourth, Xie Shaokun had completely submitted to her, awakened a superpower, and was maturing mentally at an incredible rate. He was shaping up to be a decent Spirit Servant.

Fifth, she had unexpectedly acquired a large sum of money, solving her funding problems.

Sixth, she had solved a mystery that had plagued her for two lifetimes and learned the real reason her brother had been beaten.

Seventh, a pistol with five bullets. The gun would significantly increase her chances of survival in future Mist Events, which was why she had risked taking it.

Most importantly, and the third reason she had brought Xie Shaokun into the third Mist Event, was to help divert the police’s attention. This would allow her to clear her name of suspicion and give her more freedom to operate.

Her haul was far greater than she had imagined.

This trip into the Mist Event had been nothing short of perfect.

She murmured to herself, ”I can start buying food supplies and building a base for the Apocalypse. It shouldn’t be too hard to build an underground base in just over three months.”

”But where should I build the base?”